Orang Pendek
Also known as: Short Person, Sedapa
A short, bipedal ape covered in golden-brown fur walks the jungles of Sumatra, and credible scientists have spent decades trying to prove it exists.
Dutch colonial accounts, early 1900s
Kerinci Seblat National Park, Sumatra, Indonesia
2.5-5 feet tall
Shy, flees from humans
Active research area, hair and footprint samples collected
The Lore
The Orang Pendek is an alleged small ape-man inhabiting the forests of Sumatra, particularly around Kerinci Seblat National Park. Witnesses describe a creature 2.5-5 feet tall, walking upright with broad shoulders and short yellowish-brown fur. Unlike many cryptids, the Orang Pendek has been investigated by credentialed scientists. British researcher Debbie Martyr spent 15 years in the area and reported her own sighting. Hair samples have been collected but results remain inconclusive. The discovery of Homo floresiensis on nearby Flores Island gave the Orang Pendek theory new scientific relevance.
Body Type
Folklore Origin
Notable Witnesses
- Debbie Martyr
- Jeremy Holden
- Dutch colonists
Media Appearances
- MonsterQuest (TV investigation)
- Expedition Unknown
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